Just a Little Closer Home (Rebel, 2010)

Paul Williams is not a young man, but his clear tenor voice is as strong as ever on this pure bluegrass gospel collection. One can't listen to his work and not contemplate how this can be. It must be his conviction. He leaves no doubt as to his belief in his message.

For all his virtuosity, Williams stays true to a simple message and a straightforward yet powerful style. It is about His word; and not of any mortal man's.

Williams' mandolin work relies on clean melody lines, precise double stops and even-spaced tremolo. His voice is strong and pounds into the listener's chest, yet is still humble in delivery. The harmony is pitch perfect, and the picking serves to augment the delivery rather than show off. The Victory Trio is about overall ensemble and not individual praise. There are a couple a cappella numbers and Williams breaks into an old-fashioned emotional recitation on The Lord Still Lives in This Old House, then closes with I've Been Set Free. If you want authentic bluegrass gospel, this is it.